Avis, part 2
by WolverineTeen
Summary: After the sudden pregnancy, Katniss and the Victors meet with President Paylor.
1. Chapter 1

KATNISS:

Peeta walks ahead of me**.** I catch up with him and grab him on the shoulder. "Peeta, I didn't mean that, alright?" He turns around. Now I can't believe I'm saying _this._ "I-I'm," I try not to stutter, "I'm sorry."

He sighs. I can see he's battling within himself. The hi-jacked and the one I love. He wraps his arms around me and let's me stay there for a while. We should probably head to the Command Center; the meeting will be starting soon. But I'm exhausted, and so is Peeta. And even as he's holding me in his arms, I fall asleep.

I wake up in a hospital bed, similar to when we were cooped up in 13. Wait, we are in 13. I hear someone walking near me.

"Finally! I thought I'd have to pour nightlock down your throat."

I weakly smile. "Good to see you too, Johanna."

She smirks and sits in a chair next to mine. "You know, I thought I'd never have to do this again."

"What?"

"Have to look at you and wonder if this will be the last time I'll see you lying there. Barely breathing. Your face so pale. Almost dead." For the first time, I think I hear sympathy. Not a lot, but some. "I remember back in the jungle, the fear that fell over the trees every night, boom, boom, boom. Like clockwork, just as Wiress said."

"A lot of insight from the girl from District 7. And thanks, but I'm not close to dying."

She frowns and tousles my hair. "Whatever." She gets up and walks to the door. "I'll tell Peeta that _Mrs. _Mellark is awake." She opens the door and walks through it. Then peeks in and smirks. "Oh, and congratulations on having a _real_ baby!" She slams the door so loud everyone in the hospital can hear.

I feel myself frowning at will. So, I guess Haymitch told her too; or maybe Peeta. If it's Haymitch I'm really going to kill him. If it's Peeta, well, I can't blame him. I guess I'd be excited too if I weren't lying on a bed wearing a hospital garb. Although I'm still tired, I want to find out what's really going on. It's ridiculous how little we all know. I want to talk to Peeta, but I feel my eyes closing again.

I am awakened by a nudge.

"Hi." It's Peeta.

"Hey." He presses his hand in mine and I feel all warm inside.

"So, how are you feeling?" He says, breathing in.

I blink slowly. "Good, I guess. I'm sorry I didn't listen to you. I'll try not to do it again."

"You liar." Peeta smiles.

I laugh and his smile widens. I love that.

"So do you have any more details about what's going on?" I ask.

"Well, they've taken over District 1 and 2 but there's resistance in 3. I think that's where they want us."

My heart skips a beat. 2? That's where Gale is. And my mom.

"Peeta….." I pause, scared to ask.

"Yeah?" he says.

"Were they able to evacuate the people from 2?" I say.

"Most of them got out. In fact, I think some of them are on their way here now." Peeta, seeing the worried look on my face, adds: "I'm sure your mom is fine."

"You're right," I say, "I'll try not to worry. So, when am I getting out of this prison?"

"You mean hospital?" Peeta laughs, "The doctor says he'll release you soon."

"Good," I say, "This place comes with too many bad memories."

After that, the Doctor releases me, just like Peeta said. Peeta and I meet up with Haymitch and Johanna, and we walk to the elevator. We are sent several feet deeper into the ground, and my ears crackle and pop at the sensation of my body moving farther from the sky. I see Johanna making eyes at Haymitch. Sometimes I can't believe I actually slept in the same _room _with her. But I guess that's what friends do. Even after all these years, I still think of Beetee and Johanna as my allies. But Peeta, Effie and maybe -just maybe- Haymitch as my real friends. Or actually more like family. Then there's Gale, who I'm still trying to forgive for the hurt he caused me. Sometimes, I remember Prim, who went to help those wounded children, and was killed for it. By his bomb. Then, it seems impossible to forgive him. But after five years, although the pain is still here, I'm not angry at Gale anymore. After all, he never meant to hurt Prim. It was Coin, the vicious President Coin. I hope Paylor is one-hundred times better.

We get to our floor and walk to the Command Center. There is a large black oval table with eight chairs and a large one at the end. Sitting in it is President Paylor.

"Hello, Miss President," I say with a grin.

She smiles and stands to greet each of us. "Good to see you too, Soldier _Mellark_." I wince, but make sure no one sees.

I sit in the chairs between Peeta and Haymitch. Johanna sits in the one across from me. The door opens and I the hear more people walking in so I look up. Great. It's Enobaria. And then I feel bad about myself when I see Annie Odair, holding the hands of her baby. Well, not really a baby. He looks about five years old. Has it really been that long? Five years?

He looks so much like his father. The only difference is that this one has chestnut brown hair, like his mom's. I think she's getting better, now that she has the best doctors and counselors in all the Districts. At least, she doesn't cover her ears or have this frightening look on her face anymore. It's her son that takes my breath away. He has his father's sea-green eyes, the tangled locks of hair, the chiseled face, and even at the age of five, he has the 'Odiar' good looks.

President Paylor smiles at him and shakes his hand. "Hello there. I'm President Paylor; what's your name?"

He swallows but confidently says, "Andreas Odair."

"Andreas. What a nice name," I say. What am I, a grandmother? "Like your father's." I add.

"Hello, Katniss," Annie says timidly, sitting down next to Johanna. Johanna stills gives her the dirty look but I see Annie doesn't take notice. Andreas sits snugly in her lap and watches each of the tributes, and widens his eyes at Enorbaria's fanged teeth. I am glad Annie doesn't congratulate me about the baby. Nice to know Haymitch didn't tell someone. As soon as I can talk to him alone, I'm gonna kill him for telling Peeta. And then I'll find out how he knew anyways.

I am pulled out of my thoughts by the sound of President Paylor's voice.

"No doubt you are all wondering what's going," she says, a very serious expression on her face, "Some of you may know our circumstances already, but in this meeting, I'm going to tell you _exactly _what happened from the very start."

Finally. Someone giving us the story. The details.

"The Capitol never detected the planes until it was too late," she continues, "There were armored cars full of soldiers. They caught us off our guard, and we were totally unprepared for the onslaught that followed their arrival. Many of us, however, were able to get out on time. I went directly to District 1 from there. I arrived _here_ three days ago."

"But 1 isn't that far from the Capital. Why didn't you go farther to 10 or 11?" Peeta asks.

"Because," Paylor answers slowly, "My regiment and men are still in the Capital."

"What?" Johanna stands up from the table, her face flushed and her knuckles white. I'm about to do the same and walk out this whole meeting.

"What are you saying, President Paylor?" I ask, hesitant.

She sighs. "It means you'll have to return to playing Games. Again."

I feel my head spinning. I look around the room at everyone's faces. Enobaria has this look of defiance, while Johanna is spewing words out of her mouth─ and she looks like she might kill someone. Annie's blocking her ears, her eyes squeezed tight. Finnick's poor son looks like he's about scream or cry. Enobaria start yelling about killing whoever's in charge. Someone has to do something.

I look at Peeta, whose face is as pale as a sack of flour and his lips are quivering. I don't think I've ever seen him so scared. Except during the first Reaping of the 74th Games, and then when Snow pronounced that tributes would be returning in the Quarter Quell. I grab his hand, holding it tenderly with mine. He slightly nods and kisses my hand.

"Wait!" Peeta stands and holds his free hand out. "Please, we can't create our own chaos when the world has theirs."

"Peeta's right," President Paylor stated. She brushes off her military suit and looks at each tribute in a hard firm glare. "Now, I want each and everyone of you to listen." She eyes Annie Odair's son. "Even you, Andreas." She breathes in and begins:

"Last year, we found readings that incoming objects were heading toward the western territories of Panem─"

"Wait, you _knew _they were coming for months?" I ask, my anger burning inside. Is she going to be like Coin? Scheming and plotting behind our backs?

"Yes. I know we should have evacuated the Capital, but just as they suddenly appeared they disappeared off our radars." Paylor finally takes her seat and looks at each and every one of us. "Now, when I mean back to the Games I don't mean we'll be reenacting the Hunger Games. What I mean is we'll begin your training in three weeks and after your six month training, you'll each be commanders over one station."

I instantly want to scream out 'No!'. I am not leaving Peeta to go be a commander where I can't protect him. What if his mind snaps, and I'm not there to help him? My thoughts are interrupted by Haymitch's voice.

"But what if, Miss President, _some _of us in incapable of training," He says, in that know-it-all voice. I know who he's talking about. Annie and me. He thinks Annie will snap and I'll push myself to limit with this baby. I'm really gonna kill him now. I stomp on his foot, digging my soles into his toes. He bites his bottom lip and digs his fingernails into my left arm. I stop my stomping and he stops his squeezing. I think we both get the picture.

"Luckily," I say, "I think we are _all_ capable of training." I want to insert 'Except maybe Annie', but that might be too mean.

"Except for Beetee that is," Johanna says.

"Speaking of Beetee, where is he?" I ask.

Paylor says, "Oh, well he wasn't feeling well. Headaches, you know."

I glance at Haymitch and nod at Paylor. "Ah, I understand."

Even though I say I believe her, Haymitch knows I don't believe Paylor, and neither does he. Beetee is our friend, a genius and I'm sure that if he was needed, he'd drag himself to the meeting. He and Wiress are the only reason that Peeta and I are alive today.

President Paylor dismisses the meeting and says they'll be another tomorrow. Once we're out of the Command Center, I tell Peeta I'll be a minute. As soon as everyone is out of sight, I turn to Haymitch.

"You don't believe a word Paylor said about Beetee, do you?" he says.

"Not a word." I reply.

He shakes his head in disgust. "Something's going on here, and I don't think _any _of us are supposed to know a thing about it."


	2. Avis: Part 3

PEETA:

I TRUDGE OUT OF THE COMMANDING MEETING, feeling very confused. Haymitch and Katniss are whispering while we all -Johanna, Katniss, Haymitch and I- walk into the elevator. When we get to one of the floors, Johanna turns and around and grins.

"Funny, huh?" she says. "We met exactly like this. Me getting off at my floor and you three being self-righteous."

"Whatever you say, Johanna," Katniss answers. I can tell she's trying not to smile. I don't know why but even though Johanna could probably scare a twenty-year old to wet his pants, sometimes you feel safe around her. I guess she's the kind of friend Katniss has never had. Like _I've _never had.

Johanna gets off her floor, then Haymitch leaves and its only Katniss and I left in the elevator. Now that we're alone, I know I can finally ask her.

"So, what were you and Haymitch talking about?"

She turns to me, her dark hair swishing and falling by her gray eyes. I love those gray eyes. "Oh, it was about what Paylor said, about Beetee."

"You don't believe her either?"

"How can I? I mean, Beetee can never get headaches." She laughs her quiet but expressive laugh. "He's too much of genius to get them."

I laugh too, and we both look more like silly children than twenty-two year olds. I put my arms around her warm body, and she lays her head on my shoulder. I kiss her nose, then her cheek and then her lips. At the same moment, the elevator does open and who do we see but Effie Trinket. She's toned down the large puff of green hair and orange lip-gloss but at least that's all the colorfulness. She wears a light green dress and burnt orange heels. Katniss and I look at each other and smile. Effie's wearing our favorite colors.

"Hello, hello, hello!" she sings. Then stops and looks us over like we're rats off the street and not 'her own tributes'. "Well, then, I see we're very affectionate at this moment. Shall I come later or would you like a pillow with that?"

I laugh and give Katniss one last smooch. "How do you like that, Effie?" I ask.

"Yeah, Effie," Katniss jeers, grinning.

Effie, completely disturbed by these events closes her eyes and breathes. "Anyway, since you haven't been on screen for the past five years, you two will need to go to our new stylists room." She turns to Katniss. "Your team will be there," and then to me, "And Peeta, you'll be getting a brand new stylist, straight from the Capital.

I sniff, remembering what they told be about Portia. I can't believe she's been dead for all these years and now they've found me a new stylist. I wonder who it's going to be now.

Effie leads us into a large white room with bright lights and large cameras like from the Quarter Quell. She points to two black doors, the only things with color and states which ones we are to enter. I walk into mine and find a woman who's dressed a little down for the Capital. While she's measuring the length of my arms, I ask:

"So, how long have you lived in the Capital?"

"I've never lived in the Capital," she answers. She spins me around and I really look at her. She looks around my age, pretty, but not as beautiful as Katniss. Her bluish-black hair is hung down, and ends likes curls. Her eyes are shadowed with violet and so are her nails. She grins and and focuses on my muscles. "My name's Acinus, and I'll be your stylist."

I run the name through my mind. "Acinus... That means "blue", right?"

"Yes," she says, excited that someone understands her blue trademark. She fluffs my blonde hair and continues with my measurements. "So, how was it?"

"How was what?"

"Being in the arena. I remember watching you and thinking that you were hot."

I chuckle nervously. "I was only sixteen then," I say.

"And I had just turned seventeen," Acinus says. "But then when I saw Katniss in that fiery dress I knew you were taken." She shakes a blue curl from her eyes. "Alright, it's time." Acinus turns me around and shows me my suit. Well, at least the bottom half of my suit. It's dark jade with black boots; the green pants look a little like scales but it makes them look shimmery and beautiful. From my waist up, all I'm wearing is a black tight tank-top; my chest muscles are obviously shown. Acinus slips on a red jacket, and completes the outfit with a maroon hood.

"It's great," I say.

Acinus grins. "I know. Now turn around." I do and she checks out my whole outfit. "Perfect." Her teeth are straight and white. I turn and look at myself in the mirror. Wow, have I changed. From being the scared little sixteen year old, I've become a tall bronlike man. I'm what Katniss calls "a pack of muscles."

I see Acinus fixing the hems of my jacket. "I'm going to make you a star!" she proclaims.

After our session with our stylists, we head up to the quarters we've been assigned. Katniss looks extremely tired. It's been a long day for both of us, and I'm worried about her. After she takes a shower, she snuggles into bed beside me.

"Peeta," she whispers.

"Yeah?" I respond.

"I'm scared." I never thought I'd hear that out of the mouth of Katniss.

"So am I," I say. I put my arms around her and pull her closer.

"What are we gonna do?" she asks. By the way her voice trembles, I can tell she's trying hard not to cry.

"I'm not gonna let anything happen to you, Katniss," I reassure her, "You or the baby."

I put my finger on her cheek and feel a tear land on it. I give Katniss I kiss there and then hug her close. She seems so quiet now. I guess this baby thing is really getting to her. Was I too hard? Was _I _the one being selfish. No, I decide. I wasn't. Katniss needs to understand that we're a family now, and family means sacrifice. She should know that herself, with Prim and her mom and all.

"Katniss, do you really want this baby?" I suddenly ask. There is a long pause, so I add: "Be honest."

Katniss hesitates, but then answers, "I wasn't sure at first. But now…" I slide my hand into hers, and she smiles. "I guess, now that I'm used to it, it kind of feels right. Knowing something is growing inside me that's part of both of us." I'm glad Katniss finally feels what I've been feeling all along.

"But Peeta," she continues, "there's this fear that's been there from the start. What if something happens? What if… what if I lose the baby? What if I can't protect it? What if this all ends wrong and it just ends up breaking our hearts?"

"Katniss," I whisper, "That's _not_ going to happen. I promise." My words seem to calm her down a bit.

"Are you sure you can handle the training?" I continue.

She looks at me with this 'seriously, you too?' look, and then answers, "I can _definitely_ handle it."

"I just don't want you to work yourself to the point where you just can't keep going."

"I'll be fine, Peeta; you don't have you worry about me."

"Okay," I say, "but we're gonna have to tell President Paylor, you know."

"Alright," she answers, "but I don't think I trust her. There's something going on, Peeta, that she doesn't want us to know."

"Maybe it's for the best that we don't know, Katniss."

I don't want to think about this anymore and mash my lips on Katniss's. She seems surprised at this, but goes with it anyway, gripping my arms. Before I know it, we've both fallen asleep.


End file.
